Disposable cup lid

ABSTRACT

A disposable cup lid made of plastics using injection molding techniques and adapted for covering a drinking cup is disclosed to include a coupling rim for attaching to a drinking cup, a mouthpiece area, a tab, a series of dentations connected between the mouthpiece area and the tab, and two stop lugs downwardly extended from the bottom wall at two opposite lateral sides relative to the tab. The tab is pressable downwardly by an external force to break the series of dentations in opening the mouthpiece area and stoppable by the stop lugs in the open position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lid for drinking cup and more particularly, to a disposable cup lid made of plastics using injection molding techniques.

2. Description of the Related Art

Most conventional disposable cup lids are made of plastics using vacuum suction molding techniques. Vacuum suction molding techniques impart certain restrictions on the design of lid shape.

Commercial disposable hot drinking (coffee) cup lids generally provide a series of dentations on the mouthpiece area, defining a tab that can be pressed down or lifted to open the mouthpiece area. The tab provides a stem. For opening a downwardly pressing design of tab, the user can press down the stem of the tab to break the series of dentations, thereby opening the tab downwardly from the mouthpiece area to provide a beverage outlet. Alternatively, for opening an upwardly lifting design of tab, the user can lift the stem of the tab to break the series of dentations, thereby opening the tab upwardly from the mouthpiece area to provide a large opening in the mouthpiece area. Further, in an upwardly lifting design of tab, the disposable cup lid provides a retaining groove for receiving the stem after the tab is opened. In a downwardly pressing design of tab, no positioning means is provided inside the disposable cup lid for securing the tab in the open position. In this case, the tab may easily be moved back by the beverage to close the beverage outlet, interrupting the user from drinking the beverage. Further, an upwardly lifting design of tab has the disadvantage of excessively large opening may lead to a scalding injury to the user's tongue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a disposable cup lid, which is made of plastics using injection molding techniques, having a tab disposed in a mouthpiece area and breakable by an external force and a tab positioning structure adapted for holding the tab in an open position to facilitate drinking.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a disposable cup lid is made of plastics using injection molding techniques and adapted for covering a drinking cup, comprising a coupling rim for attaching to a drinking cup, a mouthpiece area, a tab, a series of dentations connected between the mouthpiece area and the tab, and at least one stop lug downwardly extended from a bottom wall thereof adjacent to the series of dentations. The tab is pressable downwardly by an external force to break the series of dentations in opening the mouthpiece area and stoppable by the at least one stop lug in an open position. Thus, the user can sip the beverage simply by pressing the tab. Further, by means of the at least one stop lug to stop the tab in the open position, the opening thus formed in the mouthpiece area is maintained unchanged, and the tab is prohibited from being moved back by the beverage to close the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevational view of a disposable cup lid in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an oblique bottom elevational view of the disposable cup lid in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an oblique top elevation of the present invention, illustrating the tab pressed down.

FIG. 5 is an oblique bottom elevation of the present invention, illustrating the tab pressed down.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following two examples in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a disposable cup lid 10 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The disposable cup lid 10 is a circular covering made of plastics using injection molding techniques and adapted for covering a drinking cup, comprising a coupling rim 11 for attaching to a drinking cup (not shown), a mouthpiece area 12, a tab 14 connected to the mouthpiece area 12 by breakable connection means, for example, a series of dentations 13, and two stop lugs 15 downwardly extended from the bottom wall thereof at two opposite lateral sides relative to the tab 14. The tab 14 can be forced downwardly by an external force to break the series of dentations 13 in opening the mouthpiece area 12 to the extent where the tab 14 is stopped by the stop lugs 15 (see FIG. 6).

The tab 14 comprises two outwardly protruding stop portions 141 bilaterally disposed adjacent to the periphery of the disposable cup lid 10. Further, each stop lug 15 has a beveled guide portion 151 located on the bottom side thereof, and a positioning portion 152 upwardly extended from the back side of the beveled guide portion 151. The two outwardly protruding stop portions 141 of the tab 14 respectively extend over the two stop lugs 15 and engaged with the positioning portions 152 of the two stop lugs 15.

Further, the tab 14 comprises a stem 142 upwardly extended from the top side thereof to facilitate pressing.

According to the present preferred embodiment, the tab 14 is substantially shaped like a mushroom, having a relatively narrower body, which extends upwardly and terminates in the stem 142, and a relatively wider head, which forms the two outwardly protruding stop portions 141; the two stop lugs 15 are located on the two opposite lateral sides of the relatively narrower body of the tab 14.

When using the cup lid 10, the user simply needs to press the stem 142 with one finger, thereby breaking the series of dentations 13 and forcing the tab 14 to turn downwards. At this time, the stop portions 141 of the tab 14 will be moved over the respective beveled guide portions 151 of the stop lugs 15 into engagement with the respective positioning portions 152 of the stop lugs 15 to hold the tab 14 in an open position, thereby opening the mouthpiece area 12.

By means of the stop lugs 15 to stop the tab 14 in the open position at a predetermined angle relative to the mouthpiece area 12, the tab 14 is prohibited from being forced back by the beverage to narrow the opening and can stop the beverage from flowing out of the disposable cup lid 10. Thus, when the tab 14 is held in the open position, the opening thus formed in the mouthpiece area 12 is maintained unchanged, avoiding a high flow rate of hot beverage and preventing the user's tongue from being scalded. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A disposable cup lid made of plastics using injection molding techniques and adapted for covering a drinking cup, the disposable cup lid comprising a coupling rim for attaching to a drinking cup, a mouthpiece area, a tab, a breakable connection means connected between said mouthpiece area and said tab, and at least one stop lug downwardly extended from a bottom wall thereof adjacent to said breakable connection means, said tab being pressable downwardly by an external force to break said breakable connection means in opening said mouthpiece area and stoppable by said at least one stop lug in an open position.
 2. The disposable cup lid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said breakable connection means is a series of dentations.
 3. The disposable cup lid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of said at least one stop lug is 2, and the two stop lugs are downwardly extended from the bottom wall of the disposable cup lid at two opposite lateral sides relative to said tab.
 4. The disposable cup lid as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said stop lug comprises a beveled guide portion located on a bottom side thereof and a positioning portion upwardly extended from a back side of said beveled guide portion; said tab comprises at least one outwardly protruding stop portion disposed adjacent to the periphery of the disposable cup lid, said at least one outwardly protruding stop portion being movable over the beveled guide portion of each said stop lug for engagement with said positioning portion of each said stop lug to hold said tab in said open position.
 5. The disposable cup lid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tab comprises a stem upwardly extended from a top side thereof.
 6. The disposable cup lid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tab is substantially shaped like a mushroom, comprising a relatively narrower body extending upwards and terminating in a stem, a relatively wider head forming two reversely outwardly protruding stop portions, and two stop lugs located on the two opposite lateral sides of said relatively narrower body. 